Friends
by Soriya
Summary: In order to get all seven chaos emeralds Shadow had to capture a girl whose world has been turned upside down as it is. How will she respond when she finds out she's in space?
1. Chapter 1

-1**_Oh, hey there. My name's Katarina Shulong but my friends call me Kat for short. My hair is black as anything you could think of with dark purple highlights reaching my shoulders and my eyes are green. I wear a red t-shirt with a black jacket and dark blue jeans. My trainers are black too and so is my shoulder bag. Ok so I'm a bit of a goth but so what? Anyway I'm not really in to girly things and may even be called a Tomboy sometimes. But hey that's me. _**

_**I wonder how I got myself in to this situation in the first place. **_

_**What? You want to know where I am? Well at the moment I am in one of Eggbut's prison cells. You know, the kind with the energy bars and the button to deactivate it is on a panel by them…on the other side of the cell I might add! Jeez, what a ridiculous man to capture me. Even his robots are stupid, I've seen toasters smarter than them and I'm not even exaggerating!**_

_**But wait, I'm getting way ahead of myself here. Let me start from the beginning of this rather bizarre situation. I'll take you back to my first day at a new school. **_

'Well, here I am.' I thought bitterly. 'A new school and some new friends…great.' I didn't ask to be uprooted and taken to a new place. My parents were never home as it is because their jobs involved being half way around the world most of the time. Ah well, at least I had the house to myself. But now I'm in a completely new place about to go to a new school and start a new life.

It was weird, my parents never told me why we had to move. They just started packing one day and my father yelled at me to do the same from downstairs. That was the first time I saw him this mad so I didn't dare argue about it. I was too scared to talk to him until he cooled down. He did apologise…eventually.

So here I am three days later and with most of my stuff in boxes. I just told my friends I had moved away to…Westopolis? Even my friends agreed the place had a weird name.

Well let's see now. I came in and went straight to the principles office to collect my timetable and to tell me where I had to go. The place had a lot of sign posts which made it very promising to how easily I found the big man's room. 'Ok, this is a good start.' The man was friendly and told me where I had to go. He then gave me an envelope which had my mothers hand writing on it. "Strange it should come to this school instead of your house. Any idea why?" He asked and I just looked as confused as he did. "No sir, not a clue."

I went to my classroom and opened the envelope by the window reading what they had to say.

'_My dearest daughter_

_If you see anyone following you or asking you about me or your father _

_you run as fast as you can and call this number. _

_Don't be afraid and remember your father and I love you very much._

_We are sorry you had to move but trust me when I say it's for the best._

_See you soon_

_Mum.'_

At the bottom of the letter was a phone number. I wondered why'd they tell me to ring this number instead of the police? Screw that, what the hell are they talking about? Who is she talking about? She tells me not to be afraid? Well I can safely say I am well and truly freaked out. Thanks for making me feel brave mum. Not!

My brain was hurting just by trying to figure this all out. I sighed and put the letter back in the envelope trying to find my strength to get through my first day.

"Hello, you're new here right?" A voice suddenly said bringing me out of my thoughts so quickly I jumped. Beside me was a boy with reddy brown hair and blue eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. My name's Chris, what's yours?" He asked holding out his hand for me to take. I pocketed the envelope and shook his hand. "Katarina…but everyone calls me Kat for short."

"Ok Kat, you can sit on the desk next to mine. No one's in it right now." He said and I sat with him. Listening to him talk about the school and lessons we were having took my mind off my parents letter.

Five minutes later and a black kid came in with blue eyes. Next to him was a tomboy looking girl with short red hair and green eyes. Behind them was a girl in a wheelchair with blond hair and blue eyes. "Hey Danny." Chris said and blue eye's number two smiled and waved. "That's Frances…" Tomboy. "..and that's Helen." Chris said indicating the girl in the wheelchair. I got on with them well and we had more fun throughout the lesson than I thought we would. Great! I made some friends, that's the first hurdle passed. Now, let's see if I can through this day without any stalkers or strange people following me.

Our teacher was actually kinda cool. I actually questioned Chris if he really as a teacher. "Mr Stuart? Yeah…I sometimes wonder about that too. He's much more fun than any other teachers I've had."

"Glad you think so Chris." Mr. Stuart said right in front of us. He smiled and was looking down at me more than Chris. "Well, well, well. Look's like we have a new student today. Did you think you could get away without introducing yourself to the whole class?" He said drawing even more attention to myself. "Heh, heh, heh. Didn't even cross my mind sir." I said with my cheeks reddening and a fake smile on my face. I really didn't want to do this but I guess I had to. I got up in front of the class and told them about my not so interesting life. I told them about moving here, my parents and then I sat back down. Mr. Stuart was looking at me in a super weird way. Was he the one my parents warned me about? They were talking about anyone following me so it can't be him. I started to suspect he might know something only to shrug off that idea double time. What the hell could a teacher know? Unless of course, he wasn't a teacher.

"You live alone don't you?"

"Hmm?" My thoughts were broken yet again by Chris who was looking sorry for me. "Yeah." Was my answer and it sounded a lot sadder than it meant to. "You want to come over the park after school? We're going to play basketball-"

"-you mean I'm going to play basketball. I can beat you with my eyes closed." Frances said and Chris blushed a little looking back over to me. "So, you up for it?" He asked and I smiled thinking it was a great idea. But then my face fell a hundred feet when I remembered I had to receive a call from my parents. "What's the matter?" He said and I sighed. "I would like to do that but…" I pretended to put the side of my hand flat on my forehead in a kind of salute. "I have to answer the phone at 17:00 hundred hours everyday or I'm staying in the hole for a week." I said mimicking an army voice and lowering my hand. "So that's a no?"

"A solid clad **no** with chains and a padlock."

"The hole?" He asked and I sighed. "My house. My parents know if I so much as set foot out of the house without their say so. Don't know how they do it but they do. As soon as I'm at the door the phone rings, and unless I'm going shopping for something then there will be hell to pay when they come home." I said and Chris looked sorry for me.

At the end of the day I said goodbye to Chris and went home on my own…sigh. I reported in as usual and slumped over on my bed. 'On my own, made some friends but I ditch them for some stupid phone call. Great way to start your first day Kat. Give it a few more days and you'll be a social outcast in no time.'

Then the doorbell rang and I was really creeped out. The only people I had told where I lived was Chris and my new friends. But they were at the park…or did they come to see me? Or did my parents come home early? I was hooked on the last idea and crept down slowly towards the door. I still wasn't sure but slowly came forwards and opened the door. I looked around but saw no one. 'Must be kids' I thought. I started to close the door when someone very short put their hand out to stop it from closing. I looked down and saw what I could only assume was a black hedgehog.

He looked like Sonic only he was the wrong colour and looked angry. "Uh…can I help you?" I asked uncertainly trying to keep my voice steady. This must be the guy…uh…thing my parents were talking about. "Where is the chaos emerald?" Hmm, straight to the point and rude. My life could be in danger here.

"Huh? Chaos emerald? What's that?" I was completely clueless but this just made him angrier. "Don't play dumb with me girl. I know you're parents work for GUN special forces and have hidden one somewhere." True they worked in the military and said if we had to leave straight away it was probably because of that. They have missed five birthdays and had to skip long term planned family holidays for it. You have now met the kid who has spent three Christmases on her own. "You are but one of the few people they would trust with it. So hand it over now and you won't get hurt." This guy was really starting to get on my nerves. "Look, I have no idea what you're talking about and my parents would've told me if they hid something in this house. Well I'm sorry but I can't help you and would like you to please l-" I didn't get to finish off the word 'leave' because at that moment he had pushed me away from the door. I flew from it with such force the back of my head connected with the staircase six feet away. Everything went blurry around me and the world disappeared from my sight completely. Jeez, I even said please. There was no reason for him to do that.

How long I was out was anybodies guess. But when I came too my hands were tied around the banister of the staircase and I had an ice pack at the back of my head. I guessed it was late because the hall was very dark. The door was closed and everything was turned upside down. But thankfully nothing was broken…yet. I sighed inside. No clue as to who was going to clean this mess up when he was finished. "Dammit! Where is that chaos emerald?" I heard the black menace growl. I could hear him throwing things all over the floor. "Hmm, maybe that girl was telling the truth." He sighed in the kitchen and started coming towards the hall. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep again.

I could feel him stop right over me but still I didn't dare move or drop the act. His face was so close to mine I could smell his breath, which thankfully didn't smell of anything.

The next thing I knew my hands were being untied and I was lifted off the ground. Huh? What the hell was going on? I hope he isn't going to throw me off the stairs and the coroner says it was an accident. I couldn't help but quickly suck some breath in at the thought of it. He stopped and I new I couldn't fake it now. My eyes opened slightly so all I could see was blurred images and his eyes looking right in to mine. My eye lids flickered uncertainly and now I **really** felt like falling asleep. "Go back to sleep, this is all a bad dream." He murmured in to my ear. He said it so soothingly I gave in and closed my eyes. "Good girl."

"Who are you?" I whispered. But I didn't get an answer and was tucked up in bed by the intruder who sighed. "I'm sorry…I…hurt you." Was the last thing I heard before I passed out completely.


	2. Chapter 2

-1Ow! Man did my head hurt. I felt like I had gone up against a wall and lost the battle with the back of my head. I looked around and noticed my vision was slightly blurry but I could still see where I was going. I couldn't remember what happened yesterday and thought I was late for my first day of school.

My head must've been hit pretty hard to forget my first day of school. I looked on my clock and realised it was a Saturday so I was fine. I breathed a sigh of relief and put my clothes on.

I opened the door and blinked a couple of times. Was I dreaming? "NO WAY!" I yelled. Bad idea, my head yelled back at me in a lot of pain. The hall outside my room was filled with everything from the rooms along it. I looked at mine to notice that luckily nothing had been touched. I made my way towards the stairs to see the hall below it was in much the same way. 'Oh, great.' My mind groaned as I sat on top of the stairs and looked at the mess before me. Depression set in very quickly. 'Where to start?' My mind moaned.

Well first things first. I needed some tablets to stop this pounding in my head. I sighed thinking I had to dive in to all the kitchen stuff just to find them. But when I came in to the room there was a glass and some painkillers on the table. 'A thief with a conscience?' It was then I remembered who did this in the first place and what he said to me before I passed out.****

"_**Go back to sleep, this is all a bad dream." **_

Jeez. Didn't he realise that was the pinnacle of lame? Well I took the painkillers and drank down the water in three angry gulps. That black hedgehog made me so mad I wanted to kill something. Luckily I had no pets or the animal would be dead right now.

I set straight to work. I started upstairs and was amazed nothing was broken. He had piled most of the stuff in each room away from the doors so I could get in there easily. Granted he didn't do it neatly but it made my life a hell of a lot easier. Some of the items were scattered on the floor but nothing much to complain about. In three easy hours I was finished with the top. So I stopped for a break and ate some food before starting on the ground floor. 'Man I wish we moved in to a bungalow instead of a two floored house.' I groaned in my mind.

Another three hours had passed and the house was clean again. I was so tired I collapsed on the couch and breathed a sigh of relief. 'If I ever see that hedgehog again…' I growled at the back of my throat to prove a point.

Five on the dot and as usual the phone rang. "Katrina Shulong reporting for duty sir!" I always answered it like that and my parents never got bored of it. My father chuckled slightly. He usually wasn't the one to call but I liked it when he did. He was tough and sometimes thought of as emotionless. But that was only because the army trained him that way, he doesn't mean to be offhanded with people geez. "Report." He said flatly. I didn't know whether I should tell them about the black menace because it looked like he wasn't coming back. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Um…dad?"

"Hmm?"

"When are you and mum coming home?" I asked feeling my heartache. He sighed and I could tell he was going to say the same thing he usually did. "You can't ask us that Kat. We don't know when our missions will be over." He said making a knot tie in my stomach. "O-ok." I stammered before pulling myself back together. "You still have that number?"

"Uhuh."

"If ever you need help call it and you'll be alright. Don't think for a second your mother and I don't care about you." His tone of voice was becoming serious now. I held the phone to my ear and sighed. "I love you too dad." I said and he hung up the phone. I don't ever recall him saying he loved me…not once. I slowly put down the receiver and sat down on the couch. I hugged a cushion and tears started to leave my eyes. I really missed them. I tried to be strong god knows I've tried. But what I could really do with now is them being here with what I just went through. I wasn't sure if that hedgehog had gone so I was too scared to leave the house.

But when Sunday came I had enough. I wasn't going to be scared to hang around with my friends just because some mutated rodent knocked me out the night before last. 'Ok, try not to think about that or your courage will disappear.' I warned myself and stepped outside.

I was very careful to make sure I wasn't being followed. Hell I even doubled back pretending I forgot something from my house. But there was no one following me.

The tram took me all the way to the park. It was fun jumping off as it was stopping because it didn't go that fast to begin with anyway. I met up with Chris and the others at the park and we played basketball. Helen was on the sidelines cheering on the girls. Danny was good, Chris was ok and needed a little training but us girls whipped them like fresh cream.

By the end of it me and Frances had scored over thirty baskets whilst the boys had a miserable five. "How?" Danny asked looking frustrated. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I was captain of the basketball team at my old school."

"WHAT?" Danny yelled and chased me around the playground yelling things like 'cheat' at me. After five minutes of running around we stopped to catch our breaths. It was then I noticed someone in the trees watching us. I thought it was that damned hedgehog again but this time the creature was a person. He was leaning against the tree and looked like a very shady character indeed. I played around with my friends again and looked back at the trees when it was time to go. The figure had gone. Ok, now I was really confused.

On my way home I took an alternative route and ran for it. I ducked in to alleyways, slid under a wooden gate with a hole in it big enough for me and even went over some rooftops. But when I got home there was still no me following me. 'Am I going crazy?' I thought but shook my head. With my mother's letter and that black devil I wasn't being paranoid at all.

I was home safe and sound. The phone rang at fifteen hundred and this time it was my mother. She was a bit more cheery than my father and could comfort me just by hearing the sound of her voice. "Katarina Shulong reporting for duty ma'am!" I said and she chuckled lightly. God did I love to hear her when she did that. "Report." She said and I gave her the same message I gave to my father. "Really? Why do I not believe you?" Oh crud. Did they know about what happened on Friday? "You sound happier than usual. What did you do today?" She asked sounding strangely pleased for me. I heard my father sigh in the background, my mother was never good at keeping things from me. "I met up with some of my new friends from school. We went to the park and played a game of basketball." I said and she sighed in a happy way. I had a feeling the guy under the tree was there to check up on me for my parents. "We've nearly finished our work here. If you're lucky we should be back by next weekend."

"Yeah, if I'm lucky." I grumbled not realising I said that out loud. "What was that?" My mother inquired and I quickly coughed. "Eh…nothing. I'll be glad to see you." I laughed nervously. "Hmm." My mother said suspiciously. "Alright." I heard a noise in the background and I smiled. "Your father says goodbye." I know. "I love you sweetie."

"Love you too mum." I said and hung up the phone.

I was always happy when she promised to come home but knew never to get my hopes up. Last time I did I was crying for the whole night with disappointment. That was a lesson well learned and I'll never do it again. When they finally did come home I was happy and covered up my anger very well. But my father knew I was faking and for the first time in my life he hugged me and apologised. Luckily my mother was out shopping at that moment. I just broke down and cried in to his chest. Who can blame me? I was only nine years old and had just started living on my own. My father had serious emotional hang ups so I thought he'd shrug me off or something and tell me to get a grip. But he did nothing like that and just let me cry.

I'll never forget that day. When I had finished crying he told me to never get my hopes up because my parents had an important job to do. It was completely against protocol but he told me all about what they did and why sometimes I wouldn't see them when they said they would. We sealed it with a salute and I giggled. I think that was the first time I had ever seen my father smile.

When my mother came back she was none the wiser and we had a great time as a family no matter how short lived it was. I smiled and sighed deeply. How I wish those days would come more often than not.

I went down in to the basement and started some training. In the basement there are weights, a punch bag and some exercise machines. It looks kinda like a mini gym which was there for my dad really but I use it when they're not here. First was the exercise bike and treadmill for an hour. Then I put on some fabric straps for my arms and wrists. I so felt like hitting something and turned to the bag imagining it to be that black menace. If he was here right now I'd show him. The force of my kicks on the bag echoed throughout my basement.

But ten minutes in and the bell rang. There was an intercom in the basement so I turned on the image viewer. 'What the?' There were two what I could only guess were people wearing yellow coats with the collar turned up with matching yellow hats. Can you say…dick Tracie look-alikes?

I took a metal pole used for putting the weights on and hid it behind me. They rang the bell over and over again. I pressed the intercom in the hallway. "Yes?" I asked, seeing them turn to the speaker. "We have an urgent matter to discuss." I heard the tall one say. "Very urgent." The little one agreed. "What? Who put you jokers up to this?" I said glaring at the door. "No one. But it's a matter of life and death if you don't give us that chaos emerald." I froze with my finger on the button. When I regained my senses I was angry. "Listen pal. I don't have a chaos whatever because a certain black rodent already searched the place." Then I saw something in the corner of my eyes. I stopped and pointed the pole towards the stairs. "What are you doing in my house?" I growled and turned to see what had distracted me.

"Another rodent?" I said in dismay looking at this tart of a bat standing in front of me. "HEY! Now there's no cause for that. I'm not like Shadow."

"Oh, so that's his name. Well sorry if I don't seem hospitable. But **he** knocked me out, tied me up and it took me six hours to put everything back when he left! The only thing I was grateful for was he left my room-" I stopped. "This is all just a rouse isn't it?" The bat nodded. "You fell for it hook line and sinker." She smirked and flew out the window. I turned to the intercom to see the robots had left as well.

"DAMMIT!" My grip tightened on the pole and I ran up the stairs. I have never been so angry in my life. I saw my stuff piled in the hall and stopped by my door.

Shadow was in the middle of my room with his arms folded looking very angry. But I was just as angry as he was. "Where is it?" He asked growling at me. He had the nerve to try and order me around after what he did? "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" I yelled. It was then and there my patience flew out the window like my old clock with that annoying alarm. Shadow opened his eyes and seemed a bit unnerved at the anger I showed but quickly pulled himself back together. "The chaos emerald. Where is it?"

That was it. I couldn't take this anymore and completely lost control. It the blink of an eye (Shadow's to be exact) I swung the pole and hit him out my open window with all my might. "HOMERUN!" I yelled and slammed my window shut. Bet you weren't expecting that you oversized fur ball.

That's when it dawned on me. What I did was probably a big mistake. A **very** big mistake.

It became very clear when the door bell rang a few seconds later. A terrible feeling started to grow in the pit of my stomach. I fell to my knees and dropped the pole. "What have I done?" I murmured just as the door flew open. I sat with my back against my bed with the door on the other side. A shadow…his shadow to be exact appeared in the doorway on my wall. I could hear someone walking very slowly and purposefully towards me. It was laughable to think he could intimidate me now. I was too tired to be scared right now.

He came around my bed and stopped before me. I could see were I hit him. He was holding his arm and giving me one hell of a death glare. "If you've come to kill me I wouldn't blame you. I probably would do the same."

"Hmph! You're not worth the effort. But if you **ever** try **anything** like that again I will-" I just laughed, I couldn't help it. He stepped back and looked at me like I was crazy. Well in a way I guess I was right now. "What's so funny?" He asked, man did I ever take him off guard. "Y-you are." I choked. "Y-you s-sound just like my f-father." I said gasping through breath. "ENOUGH!" He yelled and slammed me in to my bed glaring at me again. "WHERE IS THE CHAOS EMERALD?"

"I have absolutely no idea. You think killing me is a waste of time? Turning this whole house inside out was a waste of time." I said holding back the giggles that threatened to come out. Instead there was stupid smile plastered across my face. "No! It has to be here." He growled and took out the rest of my room.

When he had finished within the next few seconds he sighed deeply. "You really don't know where it is, do you?" He asked and now it was my turn to sigh. "There's no point in me saying it anymore when you're not even going to believe me." I said and Shadow came over to me. "Your parents should've told you where they had hidden it. The man I am working for tells me they haven't put it in the base just yet. It is heavily guarded and just down the road from here. If you find it don't put it there and give it to me, I promise I won't kill you."

"What can I give you that I don't have?" I said bowing my head. "This is what it looks like." He said and I lifted my head to see a glowing emerald the size of my head. I just looked tiredly at it and shrugged. Shadow sighed again. "Well if you do happen to find one keep it and I'll come get it." He turned to leave and I just had to say something. "Shadow. I'm sorry about your arm." I said and he froze. "I guess you could say we're even." He said and walked out the house closing the door behind him.

After about an hour of staring at the ceiling I dragged myself downstairs to see the extent of the damage. The door was barely closed and I came to a decision.

I picked up the phone and found my mum's letter in the pile of stuff from my room. I dialled the number and a friendly sounding woman answered the phone. "How can I help?" She asked so I cleared my throat. "My name is Katarina Shulong daughter or Michael and Annie Shulong. They told me to ring this number if someone was following me. Well they didn't follow me, they broke in to my house instead."

"Are they still there?" She asked in that stupid cheery voice. "No." The phone on the other end hung up and I raised an eyebrow in question. "Hmm."

Five minutes later and someone tapped on the door. It slowly creaked open and a tall black guy was standing there wearing shades and a suit. "Whoa, you weren't kidding." He said and stepped in. A few other men came in behind him with some tools by the look of things and fixed the door. "So you're Katarina. I've heard a lot about you." He said smiling at me and bending down to my level. "Can't say the same about you." He laughed at my tough act and put a hand on my shoulder. "Who are you?"


	3. Chapter 3

-1"My name's Raven. I'm a friend of your parents. We've served together for a few years now. They told me to look out for you when they were away."

"So that was you in the park?" I asked and he nodded. "Heh, heh. Nothing seems to escape you does it? You're just like your father. But thankfully, you have your mothers looks." He said and I smiled at that. If only my dad was here, he would hurt Raven for saying that. "Can you tell me what's going on?" I asked and he sighed. "Now don't hold this against me but I can't tell you it's-"

"Confidential." I sighed. When they started leaving me on my own for long periods of time I used to ask. My mother would tell me it's a secret and smile at me. Whereas my father…well he would tell me it's confidential in a final tone. He used to scare me when he would talk like that. Actually, he still does.

"Do you know what they were after?" He asked and I nodded. "They kept blathering on about something called a chaos emerald." I growled and Raven turned from looking friendly to serious in a second. "Your parents said they hid one to stop the enemy from getting at it." He said and I looked ready to kill. "You mean there's more than one of those stupid things?" I exclaimed looking dumbfounded. Then I hung my head and sighed. "No one tells me anything."

"You wouldn't happen to know where they've hidden it?" I was about to give up living at that moment. That must've been the hundredth time I was asked that. "For the **last** and **final** time, no!"

"Sorry. But we have to find it soon or the whole world will be in danger." He said and I looked at him suspiciously. "The whole world huh? Well when I find it, I'll let you be the first to know." I said and looked up to see him smile at me. "That'll be great." He said and straightened up when the door was finished. "You know, the last time I saw you Kat. You were this high." He said indicating his kneecap. "I phoned your parents. You can say they will try even harder to get home next weekend."

"Why didn't you ask them where they hid the emerald?" Raven frowned. "I tried, but they hung up before I even had a chance to finish what I was saying."

"You were talking to dad weren't you?" I said in an obvious kind of way. That made the man smile and nod his head. "You are so much like him. Are you sure your not secretly his twin good sided twin?" He asked and I smiled shaking my head. "If my dad did have a twin sir. I'm sure he'd be the good one." I said and Raven nodded. "Ok girl enjoy school tomorrow and remember, you can call me anytime day or night. I'm only at your service for emergencies but when I get a day off I'll call you and we can hang out or something."

"That would be great. Then maybe you can tell me a little bit about my parents when you were with them." He laughed. "Will do, I got tons of stories you'll love to hear." My smiled widened and evil thoughts came in to my mind. "I'll look forward to it." I said and waved him goodbye from my door as he walked down the street.

I looked at the fixed door. You could swear nothing happened to it at all. I closed and locked it before heading to my room. I was exhausted and wished more than anything my friends would be awake right now.

Looking at the clock I realised that was impossible. Unlike me they had people to tell them when to go to bed. I on the other hand didn't. But my parents spies would tell them if I was up after ten o'clock. It was now twelve and I knew I was going to be one tired girl tomorrow. 'Oh well, at least I can sleep on my bed. Looks like I'll have to put my room back together after school tomorrow.' My thoughts were making me so depressed I turned them off and fell asleep.

I had the weirdest dream. Shadow was my friend and was protecting me against some attacking robots. "Run!" He yelled at me whilst I was holding something in my hands. "But-"

"Just run!" He sounded so much like my father I took his advice. I ran like the devil himself was on my heels and never looked back. Then I heard someone cry out in pain and I turned to see Shadow on the floor bleeding and dying. "SHADOW!" I cried. "Just…run…" He said and breathed his last breath. "NOOO!"

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock with a huge gasp and was sat upright. I was panting with my heart going who knows how many beats per second against my chest it hurt. I felt something wet on my face and was disgusted to find sweat mixed in with tears. Tears? Why the hell would I be crying for that annoying pest? I wanted to laugh out loud and thank my subconscious for such a great dream. But I didn't. Instead it disturbed me a great deal making me even more disturbed.

Eventually I came out my room and groaned at the pile before my eyes. Today was going to be one of those days.

As I opened my door the phone rang. "That's weird." I muttered and went over to the phone. "Hello?" I waited for a second before my mother's voice floated over it. "Hi sweetie." I remembered my parents saying they would never ring anytime other than fifteen hundred unless they had a very good reason. "Hi mum."

"I just called to say don't forget your gym bag. Then when you bring it home give our friend a call and he'll tell you how to wash them." At first I was confused but then quickly understood. I had put the bag in my school locker on the first day as she told me to so I won't forget it at home. I thought it was weird when she said it but now I know why. Raven must've called and asked them about the chaos emerald. The bloody thing was in my locker this whole time. But why didn't she just say that instead of- That's when it hit me. The line must be tapped by whoever wants it so badly they're willing to harm anyone who gets in their way. I must not underestimate whoever it was, they sounded like professionals. "Ok mum I will."

"Ok sweetie have a good day at school." Noise in the back ground. "You're father says hi."

"Bye mum say hi to dad for me." Then I hung up. This was going to be tough. I did have gym today so my routine wouldn't be disrupted. But with a sudden phone call in the morning wouldn't that be a dead giveaway? Surely no one would fall for a mother being that worried about her daughter's gym clothes.

That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks. They were packing my gym stuff and must've come to a decision. Thank you mum and dad. Not!

I just took my orders with a spoon full of sugar and skateboarded to school. I carefully watched the streets, looking for anybody suspicious trying to follow me. When I got to school I opened my locker as usual and looked in my gym bag. All my clothes and trainers were there with a towel and hair band. No sign of a giant jewel so far. Then I felt the side pockets. in one of them was something hard and pointed at the bottom. 'Hmm.' I opened the pocket just a crack to see a gentle glow coming from it like the chaos emerald Shadow showed me.

"All set for today?" A voice suddenly said behind me. I jumped and quickly zipped up the pocket turning with a big smile on my face trying to look innocent. It was that weird teacher Mr. Stuart and he was looking at me rather curiously. "Yep." I said sounding a little excited and he smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. See you in class Kat."

"Ok." I breathed a sigh of relief. Man that was too close for comfort. I opened the side pocket fully and hid it at the back of my locker in a sweater. I was always prepared the way my parents taught me to be. Then I zipped it back up and put it over my shoulder.

All the way through gym and my lessons I couldn't think about anything else but that Chaos emerald. So much so I kept tuning out my friends and they kept having to bring me back. "Hey Kat, are you ok?" Chris asked bringing me back for the umpteenth time that day. "Y-yeah. My parents said they might come home for this weekend. I can't seem to think about anything else really." I lied. But that was part of the reason too. I was so angry with them right now. I thought it was a parents job to protect their kids. Not put them in danger! Jeez, talk about a hard life. But then I understood. They probably didn't have any choice and needed a quick and easy solution. I didn't want to be it though, but I could see their point of view.

The school day ended and I put the jewel back in my bag when the corridor was empty before heading home. I kept a look out for anyone suspicious again and headed towards my house.

When I arrived I called Raven immediately and he came in greeting me like a friend for any on lookers. He was dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt with a red baseball cap. He still had those shades on. So to give any spies something to kill their doubts I hugged him and smiled. When he closed the door he breathed a sigh of relief and took off a black rucksack. I instantly retrieved the chaos emerald and put it in his bag. "Thank god you came here. I thought I was carrying a bomb in my bag." I breathed and he smiled at me patting my shoulder in understanding. "Why don't I make us some of my famous hot chocolate and you can tell me all about your strange visitors."

"Ok." I said and sat down watching him melt some chocolate before adding the milk. He then put tiny marshmallows in it and I had to agree, it was the best hot chocolate I have **ever** tasted. "Well it's like this. First there were a couple of Dick Tracy look-alikes by my door. I didn't get a look at their faces as I only saw them through the intercom camera. Then here was this over grown bat named Rouge that looked like something from a strip joint." I saw an eyebrow twitch at that. Obviously he knew her. Man he'd suck at poker. "Last but not least there was this very annoying black hedgehog who had used my head as a bowling bowl. What was his name again? Oh yeah. Shadow."

"PFFFT!" I watched as Raven Spat out his mouthful of hot chocolate all over the news paper he was reading in front of him. Gross! Oh yeah, he'd definitely suck at poker. He apologised and I didn't bother to ask him why he did that. 'It's confidential.' A little voice said in the back of my mind in a high pitched taking the mick kind of way. "I should be going now. Thanks for the emerald and the info on our enemies."

"Not at all. See you whenever." I said and he left. Out of the danger zone now I hope. I slid down the door until by butt was on the floor. Then I tidied the pile next to my room back to where it belonged before finally collapsing on the couch. What a day.

The phone rang again. 'Fifteen hundred hours right on the dot.' I thought getting up to answer the phone. No one said anything so I did my little bit without sir or ma'am at the end. "Katarina Shulong reporting for duty!" A heavy sigh of relief met my ears. "Dad?" He always did that if he was extremely worried or there was bad news. Hopefully it wasn't the last one. "Are you alright?" He asked with some concern in his voice. "As fine as I can be." I said keeping the growl from my voice. He sighed again. "We're sorry we got you involved in this. Don't be angry." It scares me how he does that. It's like he can pick up when I'm angry and I'm not even showing it. "I'm not." Again another sigh. Three sighs is never a good sign. It usually means he's angry or something. "You remember what I told you about liars."

"You hate them and the lies keep growing." I said sounding a bit ashamed. "Sorry dad. Ok so I'm a bit mad you and mum didn't tell me about it. But can you blame me?"

"No. You want me to hang up?" He asked and I felt an evil smile creep on my face. "Do you?" I asked knowing he was uncomfortable now. A little revenge never hurt anyone. I always won when it came to these little games we played. The only time I lost was when it came to who would smile first or poker. Yep, my dad was the king of poker faces. "You're the spawn of Satan do you know that?" He said. I was mad but couldn't hold back and laughed. "Well Satan, you must be very proud of me. Seeing as I'm so evil en all." I heard him chuckle and my smile had changed to a regular one. "You should laugh more, it's good for the soul."

"How are you really?" He asked and my heart ached. I had been through a very bad experience and wanted some reassurance oh so bad. But I had to be strong. I thought about my answer for a moment. "I'm scared dad. But don't tell mum that, you know how she worries. Tell her that I'm ok. I know you can't promise to be home this weekend. But it would be nice." I said trying to sound strong. "Please dad."

"You really are scared aren't you?" He said and I just stayed by the phone to knowing how to answer. Usually the sound of his voice was all I needed to feel strong but I needed him to be here now. "I can't promise anything. But your mother and I will try."

"Thanks dad, give my love to mum."

"Hold on a minute she's just come in and wants to say hi." I heard my dad put the receiver down and mum picked it up. "Hey sweetie. How you doin?" She asked so cheerfully it hurt. "Fine mum." I just said fighting back the tears. I needed her too. The way she hugged me felt like all my troubles had gone away never to return. "We'll try to come home this weekend." She said and had to stop herself from promising. "We love you Kat and are always thinking about you." I missed her so much I had to fight back the tears tremendously. "I love you too mum." Background noise. "And dad."

I slowly put the receiver back down and stood there for a moment. Silent tears made my cheeks itch as they rolled down my face. I slid down the wall until my butt hit the floor. I don't know how long I sat there and cried. All I could feel was this emptiness building up inside of me until I was hollow.

Hours had probably passed but I could not get up. I didn't even feel hunger as the sky turned red.

"I've come to see if you found my chaos emerald little girl. You'd better not have given it to the military or there'll be hell to pay." I didn't even look at Shadow. I couldn't bring myself too and I just couldn't move. "I don't know where it is." I said plainly still staring at the wall in front of me but not really seeing it. The black hedgehog came over and stood next to me studying the patch of wall I was staring at. "Anything interesting?" He asked and I just closed my eyes in irritation. As a result more tears escaped but I was too sad to care. "You look happy." I prayed in my mind he'd leave me alone now, he had his information but still he didn't leave. "You got what you want so go away." I moaned and he huffed. "Maybe I don't want to go."

"Why would you want to stay? I already told you. There is no chaos emerald here and I don't know where it is. You've searched the house and all of my things. Shadow you have nothing to keep you here so just leave." I heard him turn and walk away. "Fine. But I'll be here every night until you tell me where it is." He said and vanished again making me wonder whether he had actually been here or was a figment of my imagination.

An hour later I finally pulled myself together and ate a sandwich. It hit my stomach like a rock every time I swallowed. Then I finally dragged myself back to bed.

I cried myself to sleep that night not caring who heard. I had a murderous hedgehog, a bat posing as a prostitute and two Dick Tracey look alikes on my butt. The only people who could take away my fears were who knows where in this world. If my parents didn't come home this weekend then I'd probably tell Shadow what I had done and not care at all. He could kill me if he wanted to. Just so long as the fear that's growing within me would stop then nothing else would matter.


	4. Chapter 4

-1I woke up the next morning feeling a little better. Sleep always took away my troubles for a while.

School was the same as always. Lesson, break, lessons, lunch, lesson, booorrrinnng! But then Chris came up to me after school and asked if I would like to come to the park at five thirty after I had to report in. "I'll have to ask but yeah, there shouldn't be a problem." I said and Chris smiled.

Well I came home and gave the usual report to my mother. "Um, mum. Chris asked if I would like to come and play in half an hour at the park. Is that ok?" I asked and she sighed happily. "You're first boyfriend. Of course it's ok sweetie go and have fun." She said dreamily. "EW! Mum! He's not my boyfriend!" She just laughed. "Of course not dear I believe you. I won't tell your father though, he'll try to give you the birds and bees speech over the phone."

"Mum! He's not my-" I was cut off and wondered if she was actually teasing me. I was red in the face and glaring at the receiver. I throttled it before putting it back down. I grabbed my board and slammed the door heading for the park.

Half an hour later and I met up with Chris. He looked a bit sad to see me and I wondered why. "Hey, you ok?" I asked and he just sighed. "I'm really sorry Kat…but I…" He stopped and couldn't say anymore. "Chris? Don't freak me out like this. Come on man, you can tell me." A yelp and a rustle in the bushes caught my attention. "If that's you Raven you can come out now your cover has been officially blown." I called smiling at the bush. But something else appeared instead. A yellow two tailed fox came out looking like he had his hand caught in the cookie jar. I just looked from Chris to the fox and back to Chris again. "Sorry Chris, I fell out the tree."

"That's ok Tails."

"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?" I yelled looking just as angry as I felt. They looked guilty and scuffed the path with their shoes. I looked up in to the trees and saw a pink hedgehog standing next to a blue one who was blushing. "Amy tried to get near Sonic and I was in between them." Tails explained. I took in a deep breath to try and steady myself. "If this is about that damn chaos emerald I wish I'd never heard about the stupid thing!" I growled and hung my head in a deep state of depression.

The blue hedgehog jumped down. "Sorry about that. But we need to know where it is. I'm Sonic by the way." He said holding out his hand. I looked up and shook my head. "Don't worry about it. Everyone is asking me the same thing." I said shaking his hand. "Well, the thing is I-"

"Get away from her faker!" We turned to see Shadow. He looked very angry and gave us the deadliest glare he could muster. "That chaos emerald is mine!"

"Oh crap, psycho hog is back." I groaned. He smirked and closed his eyes. "I never left girly. I've been following you for a long time hoping you'd slip up and reveal the whereabouts of the chaos emerald. I've even been keeping tabs on your conversations." He said. "So you're the reason my mum was talking strangely." At that moment I slapped a hand to my mouth realising my mistake too late. Shadow slowly opened his eyes. "Gym bag." He said but I just shook my head removing my hand. "Not anymore."

"I warned you there'd be hell to pay."

"So get on with it. Hurt me, kill me, beat me to a pulp I just don't care anymore. As far as I'm concerned it's good riddance to that thing and goodbye to you." I said and he used his super speed to lunge at me. My body went in to the tree behind me and he raised his fist to take a punch at my face. But then he stopped and just stayed that way. His fist shook with rage aimed at my face with his other hand over my heart pushing me in to the tree. Man I was going to be sore tomorrow. If I'm still alive that is. "Go ahead."

"Kat!" Chris called and I saw Sonic running over to knock Shadow off me. But that didn't work. In two seconds flat Sonic was batted away like some annoying fly. He and Sonic went at it giving me the chance to slip away. "Bye Chris." I said. "Wait! We can help you!" He called and I just turned as I skated away. "YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH!" I yelled over my shoulder. As I skated away I heard a colossal bang reach my ears and saw Sonic flying over the trees beside me. He looked pretty beat up with Shadow in tow.

One thought went through my mind. 'My parents are going to kill me for this.' I thought as I turned my board towards them.

I urged my board faster and faster until I reached break neck speed. Then I headed for a speed bump and flew through the air. I caught Sonic and took him out of Shadow's firing line as he aimed some sort of yellow spear at him. I grinded to a halt when I landed on the path. The impact shock of my landing went right through my leg. I thought they had been broken. But luckily they weren't and I stayed standing with the pain running through my body. I was going to be **very** sore tomorrow.

"Thanks." I heard Sonic say on my shoulders. I switched to piggy back position because it just seemed easier. "Don't thank me yet. We have to get out of here."

"Just where do you think **you're** going?" Someone said in a deadly tone behind us. I looked forward again to notice I was at the top of the steepest and not to mention tallest hill in the park. With the added weight I should be able to pick up enough speed. But will it be enough? "Enough games little girl. Tell me where the chaos emerald is now."

"You're going to have to catch me first." I said in a childish way and pushed off heading straight down the hill. "See you at the bottom."

"HEY!" He called coming after me. I knew Shadow was fast but I also knew he couldn't fly. The best he could do was hover and that's all I needed to know. At the bottom of the hill was an old ramp some skaters put there a long time ago. Chris had told me that if you gained enough speed you could go right over the lake in the park. I wanted to test that theory out since he told me. **But not like this! **It was now or never and I really didn't have much choice. Shadow was quickly catching up and smirked at me. "As soon as you start slowing down little girl you're mine." He said as I continued to gain momentum. "I do have a name you know." I growled. He chuckled with an evil smile on his face. "What a brave little girl. You're parents must be so proud."

"Oh yeah. Well at least I have parents!" I snapped. This only made him angrier but I didn't care. The ramp was coming in to view. I got ready and Shadow noticed it too late. "What?"

"Maybe this isn't such a good IIIDDDDEEEEAAAAA!" I screamed as Sonic and I sailed through the air. Hah! Shadow can't run on water…whoa, yes he can. I looked down to see him running under us on the water. Dread filled my heart as I thought about what would happen when we started to fall. "KAT!" I heard someone call in under me. I looked down to see Chris and Tails on the X-tornado. I dismounted my board and they slowly came up. I fell forwards near the tail as Tails picked up the sped a bit. "Ow!"

"Sorry."

"That's ok Tails." I said looking over the side of the plane to see a very pissed off Shadow glaring up at us. "I'm just glad you came when you did." I heard a low groan and turned to see Sonic on all fours holding his head. "Looks like Shadow really did a number on you huh." I said and Sonic scowled at me. "Nah, I'll be fine." He said and zoomed over to a wing. I slowly made my way to the other one and Tail's took us to Chris's house. "Looks like you'll be staying here for a while." He said. "We'll make sure you stay safe."

"You can protect me from Shadow, but who will protect me from my parents if I don't answer the call tomorrow?"

"Don't worry, we'll get you home to answer the call everyday." Sonic said in his usual cocky way. "It'll take a minute to get there and back." He said and I couldn't help but smile. "Thanks." I said looking down at him. "No sweat. If it hadn't been for you I probably wouldn't be here." Amy burst in to tears and hugged him half to death. I raised an eyebrow at Chris and he shrugged.

I stayed the night hoping my parents spies hadn't told them I was missing or if they saw what happened. With all my heart I hoped it was neither. A strange wave of exhaustion grabbed hold of me and I passed out when we landed.

I woke up realising I wasn't in my room. At first I started to panic only to remember where I was. 'Oh, right.' I got out of bed and walked down the stairs. "Excuse me." I heard a little voice say. I looked down to see a rabbit with the biggest ears I have ever seen. "Your Chris's friend right?" She asked in the softest voice I have ever heard. "Yeah."

"I'm Cream, this is my Choa pal cheese."

"Huh?" I looked above her head to see a little blue creature. "Whoa." I said looking at it with intense curiosity. "Choa, choa." It said in a really weird little voice. "That's his way of saying hello." Cream said smiling at me. "Choa." The little creature confirmed. "Is that all cheese can say?" I asked. "Yes but he's pretty easy to understand if he needs something." Cream said. I watched the little blue creature fly around the room for a moment before following the rabbit to the kitchen.

In was a big Spanish or Mexican lady stirring something in a bowl. "Hey Kat." Chris said looking over to me. "Hey Chris." The woman looked over to me. "Hi, I'm Ella. You must've been pretty tired to fall asleep on the way here." She said and I realised she was right. "You must be hungry, I've made plenty of pancakes for breakfast." She said and my stomach rumbled in agreement. I turned red in the face but she just laughed. "Thought so." I was amazed I managed to eat three helpings before I was full but I couldn't help it. Ella was a great cook.

I always wondered why he never invited me to his house when everyone else did. Well now I know why. It was inhabited by Sonic and many of his friends.

Mr. Tenaka drove us to school in a car and we got out. I stared out the window in class not keeping track of the day. I wanted my parents to come home so bad it hurt. But with Shadow on the loose I couldn't go there alone. Chris couldn't bring me out of my own little world and Mr. Stuart didn't tell me to get back to my work strangely enough.

I came back to Chris's place after school and waited for the phone call. Sonic scooped me up in to his arms like he said he would and ran me over there. I ran in as the phone started to ring. "Katrina Shulong reporting for duty-"

"KAT! RUN!" I heard Sonic yell by the door. He was fighting with Shadow and I knew he couldn't win. So I did what he said and dropped the receiver so it dangled near the floor. I could hear my mother's voice screaming down it as I ran. Again I heard a yelp of pain come from Sonic as I escaped out the back door. Then something hit me at the back of the head and the next thing I knew everything had gone black.


	5. Chapter 5

-1I woke up on a bed feeling like my head had been hit by a hammer. I slowly sat up with my vision clearing.

Two robots came in with a tray and a glass of water next to some pills. "Here." The gold and tall one said. "You'll feel much better after you take them." The short silver one said. I recognised the voices and it was like a light bulb shone over my head moment. "Well, if it isn't the two Dick Tracey look alikes." I said and the two robots looked at one another. "She's sharp." The gold one said. "Like a pin." The silver one said.

Over the intercom this guy declared himself as doctor Eggman. A brilliant scientist and a genius. Hmm.

They left the tray by the bars and said goodbye. I came over to the bars and took the pills like they told me to. I wondered what was going on back on Earth. My friends were probably trying to find me as well as my parents. I could just picture them now.

I wonder how I got myself in to this situation in the first place.

What? You want to know where I am? Well at the moment I am in one of Eggbut's prison cells. You know, the kind with the energy bars and the button to deactivate it is on a panel by them…on the other side of the cell I might add. Jeez, what a ridiculous man to capture me. Even his robots are stupid, I've seen toasters smarter than them and I'm not even exaggerating!

Later they came back with some food and I just glared at them. I sat by the bed hugging my knees barely raising my head to look at them. "We thought you'd be hungry." Gold. "Starved." Silver. I just looked at the food and felt sick. "No thanks." I growled and they sounded disappointed but I didn't care. I tuned out what they were saying and put my head on my knees. They sounded sad for me and put they tray by the bars before leaving.

I didn't look up again. The smell of the food was getting weaker meaning it must be getting cold. Hmph, as if I cared.

Then I heard something move in the corner of the cell. I looked over to see a girl huddled in the corner, she was crying. "Hello?" I said and got up. I came over and saw a girl wearing blue in the pale light. She looked up and had big blue eyes with long blond hair. She was near to the same age as me. "Did they kidnap you too?" Again no answer. She got up slowly coming towards me. "Want to play a game?"

"Huh?"

"I'm bored, let's play something." She said and I felt a strange feeling come over me. "Ok." I said in a dream like way. My head was swimming and felt all fuzzy. We played a mirror game where one has to copy the other. For some reason it was really funny and I felt like I had a good time.

AUTHOR

The gold robot was watching the camera monitor for Kat's cell. "Uh, doctor. I think you might want to see this." He said and Eggman came over. "What the? What's in the cell with the kid?" He asked. On the screen was a blurry white light copying the same movements as Kat. "What is it doctor?" The silver one asked. "I don't know. Shadow, did my grandfather create anything like that?" He asked and pointed at the screen. Shadow came over and raised an eyebrow. "I'll check it out." He said and left the room.

KAT

We played mirrors for a while and laughed like average girls. I started to forget where I was and why I was so angry. All I could feel was bliss and innocence. I stood on one leg and she tried to copy me. "Hey no fair." She said laughing and trying to keep her balance. "Hey, you dared me to do something you couldn't." I said in a smug kind of way. I had no idea what was happening around me or what I was doing. All I felt was this strange peace.

AUTHOR

Shadow came in and saw Kat standing on one leg talking to someone he couldn't see. "Doctor. Are you sure the camera is working correctly?" He asked in to the intercom. "Yes I'm sure. Why?" He asked. "Because there is nothing here. Kat seems to be talking to whatever it was we saw on the screen but there is **nothing** here!" He came over to the cell. "Kat?" No response. "Katarina answer me!" He called but still no response.

KAT

"Give up yet? Or do you want to continue playing this game? You have to stand on one leg for ten seconds. If you can't do that then you have to tell me your name." I said and she agreed but didn't meet the challenge. "Three seconds? Is that the best you can do?" I said and she frowned. "Oh come on, at least give me a chance."

"You've had your chance and you've had your fun. Now tell me who you are." I asked and the girl sighed. "Ok, my name is-"

"KAT! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Someone yelled at me bringing me out of the nice feeling and back to reality. Unfortunately I was standing on one leg. "Whoa!" I yelped and fell to the floor in a heap. "Ow." I groaned rubbing my butt. "Who were you talking to?" He asked and I gave him the weirdest look I could muster. "What are you talking about?"

"Who were you talking to just now?" He asked again and I started to remember what I just did. My face turned red with embarrassment. I must've looked very silly doing those things. A blurry image came to my mind but I couldn't make it out. It could've been a person but I wasn't sure, it was like something had erased my memory of the recent events. "I…don't remember." I said feeling very scared. "What was I doing? How…?????" Shadow gave me a very sceptical look. "What do you mean you don't remember!" He growled and I just snapped. "I DON'T KNOW OKAY!"

"Come on. Your staying with us." I turned to see Shadow holding out his hand to me. I was still so angry with him I didn't take it. I just got up and walked out that cell as quickly as I could. Shadow followed and saw I hadn't eaten my food. "Come on, let's get something for you to eat."

"I'm not hungry." I said. "I feel sick." Which was true. My stomach was turning and my head was spinning. I slid down the wall hugging my knees in fear but I refused to cry. "Must've been the contact you had with whatever it was in the cell. The professor had some secret experiments but nothing like that." He said. Boy did I feel sick. I put my head in my hands and was trembling all over like I had a bad bout of flu. "Are you alright kid?" I shook my head feeling weak. "Give me a moment."

A minute later as soon as it had started it stopped and I felt fine. I raised my head and slowly stood up. "I'm better now." I said and followed Shadow towards the room with everyone else. The bat, robots and Eggman were there staring at me like I was some sort of freak show. "I don't remember anything so don't think of asking me what happened." I growled and they all blinked.

"Fine, now on to business." Eggman said and turned to the computer.

I didn't care and turned to leave. That feeling came over me again and I saw the girl walking past the door. No one was looking so I followed her. I walked slowly at first keeping my eyes on Shadow before quickly running to catch up with her.

First she was walking then she started to run. "Hey! Wait up!" I called and ran after her. I don't know or care how long we ran and where we were going. The feeling over my body became stronger and surged through me. The further we went the stronger it became and soon we ended up in a room. "Something bad happened here a long time ago. Something to me." She said and I saw her go over to a lever on a metal slab in the middle of the room with some buttons on it. "This is my story." She held out a hand for me to take and I did.

The room went hazy and everything was lighter and brighter without the bad feeling. I watched as the girl ran in here with Shadow. She tricked him in to going in to a glass capsule and ran to the console. "STOP!" A GUN soldier in an old uniform cried pointing his gun at her. She paused for a moment and said goodbye to Shadow. Then she pulled the lever and the GUN soldier pulled the trigger. She fell back and died.

The room had turned back and she was still holding my hand. "Why did you show me that?"

"I want you to understand why Shadow is the way he is. He's a good friend really. You just have to go get to know him." She said and smiled. "Tell him people aren't worth giving up on and need a second chance. Show him that not all humans are bad. Please, you may be the worlds last hope. If he activates my grandfather's weapon then all hope is lost."

"Who are you?"

"KAT!" I was being shaken awake and took in a deep breath like I had been holding it for a long time. I doubled over coughing and spluttering. Someone rubbed my back easing my breathing a little. "Are you alright? You were hardly breathing." Shadow? Again? Why did he sound so concerned all of a sudden? I shrugged off his hand and got up. "I'm fine." I thanked my lucky stars I didn't have anything to eat because I really felt like I was going to throw up. "I am **so** outta here."

"Wait!" Shadow called but I didn't care.

I staggered to the door and ran as far way from that room as possible. I bounced off the walls a few times feeling panic run through me. I still couldn't remember anything that happened. It seemed like a nightmare and the images were slipping through my fingers as I tried to hold on to them.

When I was far enough I slid down the wall and hugged my knees. It was then I started to cry. I couldn't help it and didn't care who came by. The nice feeling was replaced by sorrow and pain flowing through my body like a untameable river. Pain, suffering, anger, hate, sorrow and my personal favourite depression. I heard someone stop beside me but couldn't be bothered to see who it was.

"Keep crying like that and you'll make yourself sick." I heard a voice say sadly beside me. I looked up with tears in my eyes to see the bat standing there patting my back. "Come on now. Big girls don't cry." You would if you went through what I just did. I thought wiping away the tears and sniffed. "Did Shadow make you cry?" She asked. Hang on, aren't bad guys supposed to be heartless and unforgiving? I shook my head. Not even I knew what made me cry. "You want something to eat?" If my stomach could scream at her it would've said no. I just shook my head soundlessly again. "I just wanna go to sleep." I said feeling very weak and shakier than last time. "Ok follow me. The name's Rouge by the way."

Rouge escorted me to the rooms and I flopped on to the bed…literally. I could barely turn so I faced the window. Wait, stars? Must be a poster or something. My brain was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore.

AUTHOR

Rouge stood by the door until Kat fell asleep. Then convinced she was Rouge made her own way out. "Where do you think you're going?" A cold voice asked from the other side. Rouge jumped and looked at him. "To sleep. The kid's got the right idea." She said and Shadow growled. "We can't let her out of our sight. It's important that she stays safe so we can get the chaos emerald." He said and Rouge scowled at him. "Fine, you look after her. I'm going to bed."

He watched her walk off revelling in the thought of putting her in an airlock.

KAT

When I was sleeping the darkness turned in to dreams and I saw what happened yesterday. **_"Who are you?"_** The girl didn't answer and I was really starting to get creeped out. We played mirrors and I won. But something was freaking me out and I wanted the images to stop. But why did I want them to stop? It was only when I went in to the next set of memories did I realise why.

I saw the girl again and a horrifying image of how she died. **_"Why did you show me that?"_** I willed myself to wake up now. More than anything I wanted to wake up so this nightmare would end.

"Wake up girl!" I heard someone calling. I was half asleep and awake thrashing around and screaming.

When I came too completely I saw it was Shadow holding my wrists looking really concerned about me. "What is wrong with you? You looked like you were having some kind of fit." I just turned away from him and closed my eyes again.

I didn't see anymore after the images of the girl dying. There was no way I was gonna share it with shadow. Hate still filled me like a drug. Then as if he could feel my hate he sighed and got off the bed making his way back to the door. How I wished he would go away and leave me alone. I turned my back to him and pretended to sleep but was too freaked out to really do it.


	6. Chapter 6

-1 By some miracle I actually fell asleep. I woke up and saw Shadow by the door leaning on the wall with arms crossed and his eyes closed. Was he asleep?

I tried to get out of the room undetected but wasn't that lucky. He grabbed my wrist as I started to go out the door. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked and I just glared at him. "You hate me that much?" What a stupid question. "Let's see. You knock me out twice, kidnap me, threaten me and won't leave me alone. So yeah I hate you a lot." I growled and he just looked at me minus the glare this time. Weird. "Can't say I like you either."

"Oh really? And here I thought you were my best friend." I said sarcastically. But still I saw no glare and he just studied me. "What?"

"Nothing." He said letting go of my wrist. "You would have breakfast around now. So you want something to eat?" He asked and I thought about it for a moment. I didn't feel hungry but needed something to keep my strength up. "Sure, whatever." I said in a cool tone. Shadow gave me another searching look before showing me to the kitchen.

I cooked some toast and scrambled egg. I decided to have something light in case that girl showed up again. Who the hell was she? Some kind of ghost? I smirked inside at that thought. As if I believed in that sort of thing. But a chill went down my spine telling me otherwise. No one could see her besides me. She showed me how she died and ends up making me feel cold and weak. Something told me Shadow was hiding something but I didn't feel like talking to him. **He** was the last creature I would want to walk to.

"You finished?" He asked when my plate was clean. I nodded and took it over to the sink.

That's when I noticed the window. How could I not notice the stars in the corridors with the windows running along it? Wherever my mind was must've been somewhere deep. I ran over to the window and stared at the earth pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Maybe I had some sort of space sickness. But then that wouldn't explain that girl and the vision of the past I saw yesterday.

"Wh…w…where are we?" I finally managed to stutter out after staring bug eyed out the window for nearly ten minutes. I turned to see Shadow washing up the plates, cutlery and pot I had used to cook my breakfast. I even made some for Shadow and he looked impressed when he tasted it. I had to learn how to cook when I was nine so it was no surprise to me. I watched him finish washing up and put it away. My patience for him to answer my question was starting to become very thin. He looked at me before coming over and standing beside me. He still didn't say anything and I glared out to space.

"Well? Where are we?" I asked after another five minutes of waiting. "Oh? You're talking to me now?" He asked with a slightly amused look on his face. "Cute. So you wanna tell me or do I have to find out for myself?" I growled and he smirked. "Ok girl, calm down I'll tell you." He opened his eyes staring out in to space. "We are in the space colony ARK."

"Space colony?" I asked in great disbelief. "So this isn't a hologram or something?" I asked pointing out the window and he nodded. "Oh, man." I groaned feeling very ill. "Hmm?"

"My parents are going to go nuts when they find out where I am. I can't even stay at a friends down the road without their say so. When they find out where I am it's all over for me." I groaned hanging my head in a deep state of depression. "But I kidnapped you remember. They won't hold that against you." Shadow said making me sigh. "You don't know my parents. They'd probably hold the fact I was captured in the first place against me for the rest of their lives." I groaned again. "Hmph!" I looked over to Shadow who looked like I insulted him. "I am no ordinary kidnapper. You were lucky to escape from me the first time."

"Oh yeah, the hill. If I was an amateur skater that wouldn't have worked. That and my friends were there too." I said in a smug kind of way making him scowl at me. "Scowl all you want. The fact remains I got one over on you and don't even try to deny it." I said as he opened his mouth. I smirked in victory and looked back at the window.

My reflection turned in to the girl and she put a finger to her lips as I opened my mouth to cry out in terror. I nodded and just stared at my new reflection. I had to look back just to make sure she wasn't standing behind me or something. Nope, she had assumed my reflection. "Don't hate Shadow." She said and I raised an eyebrow in question. "You're kidding right?" I muttered. "Hmm?" I looked down to see Shadow looking at me in question. "Did I say that out loud?" I said lamely and turned to look at my reflection had changed back. I doubt I'd ever solve this mystery. But the bonus was I didn't feel so ill this time.

We stood there for a long time but I wasn't bored. Looking at the stars from outer space with the planet earth in view really took my breath away. 'I wonder what they're doing now.'

"So." I began feeling the silence start to get to me. "Any ideas when I can go home?" I asked and Shadow had a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm. As soon as we get the chaos emerald I'd say you can go home." He was hiding something but wasn't going to tell me anytime soon by the look of things. As if reading my mind he quickly changed the subject. "Hmm. I wonder what faker and you're friends are doing now." Shadow said. Whoa! Mind reader? I sighed and shook my head. "Probably something very stupid to get here. I pray Chris doesn't get himself killed." I put my forehead on the cool glass. It felt wonderful against my suddenly aching head. "What's the matter now?" He asked and I glared at him from the corner of my eye. "Nothing!" I growled and removed my forehead from the glass. I still hate him remember. "I'll tell you if there's a problem."

"Whatever." He said and I turned to leave. "Where are you going?"

"None of your business." When ever I have a headache I'm irritable and my words were sharp like daggers. Shadow zipped in front of me and glared at me. "What do you want from me? I can't leave so why do you always hang around me?" I said glaring at him. He didn't answer me so I straightened up and folded my arms. "You don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you. So why are you following me?"

"Your asking me this after what happened yesterday?" He asked and my glare intensified. "We need you alive-"

"What happened yesterday has passed." I interrupted him and he looked at me questioningly. "Just trust me on this…I know." I said and walked past him alone. Looks like he believed me almost as much as I believed myself. I knew the worst of it was over but…what else did that girl have in store for me?

I explored as much of the ark as I could without needing a pass code. There were labs, a med bay, computer rooms, games rooms, a gym, kitchens, rooms with heavy duty machinery and state of the art equipment rooms. But it was the rooms with the pass codes that interested me.

Shadow caught me trying to break in to one of them. He stopped me of course. My father taught me a trick of how to by pass the code and unlock doors. You have to remove the panel with the numbers and hotwire it like you would a car. (crap made up but it sounded good.) Quite simple really for a place so hi-tech. "That's it, your never leaving my sight again." He growled and I didn't argue. Even though I wasn't afraid of him…I wasn't! He seemed to have this way of getting me to do what he wanted. It was so scary how much like my father he was.

Later Eggman declared they were to go to prison island. Shadow sighed and looked at me in a concerned sort of way. I just turned my head away from him and folded my arms glaring at the wall. "Try to stay alive until we get back." He said and I shrugged.

I watched Rouge, Eggman and Shadow disappear with Chaos control. 'Right, now to see what's in there.' I thought and made my way to the room Shadow stopped me entering earlier that day. 'Let's see. A criss-cross here a connection there and…' A voice crackled over the speaker. "Access granted." The door slowly opened. '…voila.' I smirked and went in to a white room.

It looked like the other labs only had a really bad feel to it. Maybe I shouldn't be here…but maybe I could find an escape pod or some sort or vessel in here to get back down to Earth. That thought alone made me go in even further looking to see strange things in jars and machines covered in fabric. I took off the dust sheeting to see some cool looking things. They were red and black like Shadow. But if this was alien technology…then what the heck was Shadow? I daren't touch them. Oh no. I learnt never to mess with anything after that damned chaos emerald **conveniently** found it's way in to my sports bag.

I looked in the other adjoining rooms finding pretty much the same thing. I knew Shadow was going to be furious when he finds out where I've just been but I didn't care. I wanted to go home and was really starting to loose hope.

The last room had a huge tank filled with murky water. I went right up to the glass to see what was in there but could see nothing. A low rumbling grabbed my attention. It sounded like something was sleeping. By the way it sounded, something very, very big was in there. I looked up to see a metal walkway suspended from the ceiling going right over the open top tank. I looked beside the tank to see some stairs there. Everything was telling me not to go up there but curiosity was a real big issue with me. You know those people in horror movies who investigate where the noise came from? Well I'm one of them. And stupidly I was up those stairs and on that walkway in ten seconds flat.

I looked over the rail to see a faint red light under the water glowing bright, then dim, then bright again. "Can't help being curious can you? You're just like me." A voice said near the foot of the tank. I looked over to see Rouge had returned. But if she was back then so was…shadow? I quickly looked round for him. "Don't bother, he's busy putting those chaos emeralds in to the weapon." She said and I breathed a sigh of relief. "But he will be looking for you now so I would suggest getting back."

"Ok Rouge, you're the boss." I said and she smiled. "Don't you forget it."

I walked down the walkway to notice the section I was on started to creak. I looked up to see the wires were snapping from years of neglect and old age by the look of things. "RUN KAT!" Rouge called. I did as I was told for once and ran as fast as I could. But it wasn't meant to be. Two more steps and I would've made it but the final wire snapped on the section.

A short scream escaped my lips as I plunged in to the murky water. At first I was over come as to how cold the water was but then regained my senses. I was a strong swimmer and fought my way to the surface. I took a deep breath in when I reached it and looked at Rouge who was flying above me. The water felt more like liquidised slime and was hard to swim in. The yellow, murky, watery slime filled my mouth and I think I swallowed some of it. Boy did I feel sick. "KAT! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" She called. "Yeah, but how do I get out?" I asked looking for a ladder. Maybe I could climb up the fallen walkway. But then the rest of it might fall in. "I'm a bat aren't I?"

"Huh?" I looked above my head to see her flying over me. "Nice one Rouge."

"Now let's get you out of here before…uh-oh." I looked in the direction she was and saw the shadow of…Shadow coming towards the room! "We gotta get out of here." She whispered and somehow managed to keep her grip even though I was slippery as a fish. I felt myself rise out of the slimy substance thinking I was definitely going to need a shower after this.

But then something whipped out the water looking strangely like a lizard's tongue. "What the hell is that?" I whispered to Rouge. "I have no idea." Then as if sensing it's target the tongue approached me in a whip like fashion and coiled itself around my foot. Rouge flew with all her might to get me free of the tongue. But one good pull and me being slippery like a fish Rouge couldn't hold on and I was pulled back to the slime. I screamed like hell until I hit the water. My lungs craved oxygen as I tried to swim for the surface. But whatever was holding me there didn't want me to go. Through the murky water I could make out a huge creature with a red light on it's back. But that wasn't what interested me. **The fact that I was slowly being pulled in to it's huuuugge mouth really caught my attention! **

I could feel my life slowly leaving me and could barely see anymore. My head was becoming hot and my lungs felt like they were dying. The last thing I saw was something plummeting down in to the water and hitting the red light. The creature let me go and something shot towards me like a bullet.

AUTHOR

Rouge flew down to the surface carrying both Shadow and Kat out of the water. Shadow had an unconscious Kat in his arms and had water in her lungs. Rouge watched Shadow as he lay Kat flat on the ground and put an ear to her mouth. "Is she breathing?" Rouge asked. "No." Shadow said and put his hands together over her chest and started pounding it so the water would leave her. That didn't work so he turned her over and patted her back…hard.

Kat coughed up the water from her lungs and drew in breath before falling unconscious again. "When she wakes up she's in a lot of trouble." Shadow growled looking at Kat's face. "Luckily the water isn't harmful. It's just full of protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals. In fact she should feel better than ever when she wakes up."

"What's in there Shadow?"

"Best if you don't know. But knowing you, you'd probably find out anyway so why spoil the fun of finding out on your own?" He said taking Kat to a room with Rouge hot on his heels. "You're impossible!" Rouge growled.

Then suddenly she noticed Shadow taking Kat to the bathroom to clean her up. "Uh Shadow, I think a lady should take care of that don't you?" She asked and saw for the first and probably last time Shadow the hedgehog blush. She was going to remember how his eyes went wide and the redness invade his cheeks for the rest of her life. He quickly handed her over to Rouge who smirked and stopped herself laughing. "I'll go get her some clothes from her house." He said and was gone in a flash. Then Rouge really did start laughing.

When Shadow came back he had a clean set of clothes and a nightgown in his arms.

Rouge put the nightgown on Kat and tucked her in the bed. Her breathing was stable with the odd cough in her sleep. Rouge put a hand on her head to notice she was burning up at first before it came down. "That's weird. Was she sick before you left her Shadow?" She asked and he shrugged. "She didn't look well but told me there was nothing wrong. Guess that plunge in the water made her all better."

"Aw, you care about her don't you Shadow?" Rouge teased him. Shadow turned away from her and folded his arms. "Hmph! You forget we need her to get that chaos emerald."

"But what do we need Chris for? I know you saved him after we blew up prison island. You kidnap anymore kids and we'll have to start a nursery." Rouge stated and Shadow growled at her. "He was caught up in the energy for chaos control that's all. He's also insurance that Sonic and his friends won't try anything." He said in a final tone before leaving the room. "More likely he reminds you of Maria." Rouge muttered and went up to the bed with the sleeping Kat in it. "I hope you know how lucky you are he can't stay mad at you for long." Rouge said stroking her face. "He puts on a show but deep down he isn't a bad guy." She said and left Kat alone to sleep off her latest experience.


	7. Chapter 7

-1KAT

I had a dream about that girl again. But this time I couldn't wake up. I watched her die again and felt like vomiting in my sleep. But then I got to see the part where she talked to me afterwards.

"_**I want you to understand why Shadow is the way he is. He's a good friend really. You just have to go get to know him." She said and smiled. "Tell him people aren't worth giving up on and need a second chance. Show him that not all humans are bad. Please, you may be the worlds last hope. If he activates my grandfather's weapon then all hope is lost."**_

'So that's why she asked me not to hate Shadow.' I thought as the dream disappeared.

My eyes slowly opened and I actually felt stronger than I had done since I got here. I looked around blearily. It was a bit hard to breathe at first but after a fit of coughing I felt much better.

When my sight finally became clear I was face to face with a very angry looking set of eyes. "WAH!" I yelped and shot back away from them. It was too dark to see who it was but I could guess. "Shadow?" I asked getting used to the darkness. When I could see, he was more than angry…my guess came true, he was furious. "Don't you go **anywhere** without my say so from now on! Understood?" He growled. Just by the sound of his voice I knew he wasn't kidding. I nodded my head still unafraid of him. "Good."

"I'm sorry for being such a creep and not listening to you." I said taking Maria's advice. I knew it was him who saved me. She was right, if he was so bad, than why did he save me? "Thanks for getting me away from that thing." Shadow was looking a bit confused as to why I changed from being horrible to nice all of a sudden. But then he regained his usual, angry face. "Just get dressed and follow me to lunch."

"Huh?" I looked down to see I was wearing my old nightgown. Some clothes were hanging on a chair at the other end of the room. I guessed Rouge undressed me. I so could not and didn't want to imagine Shadow doing it. I took the clothes from the chair and headed to the bathroom. "Not thinking of escaping I hope." Shadow said looking at me with great suspicion. "No, I tried that already. I don't fit down the toilet." I said earning a smirk from Shadow. So he did have a sense of humour. "And besides, I can't get changed with you in here can I?" I tried hard not to laugh as I saw Shadow's cheeks go red. 'Now that's entertainment.' I thought smiling.

When I came out in my usual clothes Shadow's cheeks had returned to their normal colour and he was studying me again. I hated it when he did that but I held my tongue this time. I was literally holding it between my teeth.

"So, how long was I out?" I asked and he looked surprised I was actually talking to him. "22 and a half hours." I let out a low and long whistle. "That long huh? How's Rouge? She didn't get eaten by that thing did she?" Truth be told I actually liked Rouge and was genuinely worried for her. "She's fine." He said sounding a bit angry the monster didn't eat her. "So…what was that thing?" Shadow looked up at me and I could instantly tell what he was going to say. "Don't tell me, it's confidential right?" I asked and he nodded looking surprised. "Parents in GUN's special forces remember. I get told things like that all the time."

"Hmm. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've swallowed a gallon of slug slime and my heads a bit fuzzy. But other than that I feel better than I have ever done before. How are you?" Shadow stopped and looked up at me. Not the studying look again, that was getting **pretty** old. "What? Is there something on my face?" I asked looking at my reflection in the window out to space. "Hmm, can't see anything. So what is it?"

"Why are you so nice all of a sudden?"

"Is it a crime to be nice?" I asked raising an eyebrow in question. I sighed at the confused look on Shadow's face. "You have been nothing but hospitable since I have been here, and what do I do? I yell at you, disobey you and put both our lives in danger. Wouldn't say I'm guest of the year, would you?" Shadow smirked and continued to the kitchen with me by his side. "You're still pretty mad at me huh?" I asked and he just kept going. "I'm sorry."

"You already said that." Shadow stated. "I don't feel I've said it enough." I said seeing him look up at me again. "Forget about it. I already have." He said and I nodded.

When we entered the kitchen I saw someone there happily munching on a sandwich. "CHRIS!" I called and ran over to him. He swallowed a bite and came over to me. We threw our arms around each other grateful the other one was safe. "How long have you been here?" I asked him. "Since last night. You ok?" I smiled. "I'm fine." Then I turned to Shadow who was by the door staring at us like we were mad. "Is kidnapping your hobby?" I asked in a playful way making him glare at me. But then he smirked and headed over to the counter. Chris went back to his sandwich and I helped make our sandwiches.

Shadow made an egg salad one for himself whilst I ate a small turkey and mayo sub. Shadow ate in silence whilst Chris and I talked between mouthfuls.

When we had finished Chris and I did the washing up and talked some more. I saw Shadow in the corner of my eyes leaning against the wall studying us. "Hey Shadow, can Chris and I go exploring? Please? I promise I'll behave and won't break in to any more locked doors." I said in my most sincerest voice. Shadow just shrugged. "Do what you like, I'm no babysitter." Man how I would love to reply 'I'm no baby' but just clamped down on my tongue again. "Thanks." I said and we hurried out the door.

"So what's happening with Sonic and the gang?" I asked and Chris looked like he was about to cry. "Chris?"

"I don't know if Sonic made it off the island when it blew up." He told me everything that had happened since I was kidnapped and my eyes grew wide. "There's no way Sonic would die that easily!" I said and Chris smiled. "You're right, what was I thinking. Sonic has been through so much it's impossible to think he'd die like that."

"Yeah! Just you wait. I bet he's coming in a rocket ship any time now to stop whatever it is eggbutt's got planned." I said.

Then I heard Shadow chuckle evilly. "I'd be very surprised if that faker made it out alive." He said and I felt a wave of anger build up inside of me as Chris blinked back unshed tears. "YOU EVIL GIT!" I yelled and he glared at me. "I can't believe you just said that! I should never have listened to her telling me you were nice and I shouldn't hate you! We'll guess what-"

"Who said that?" He asked looking at me in a very serious and saddened way. 'Oh hell.' My mind growled. Sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut.

Then the speaker rang out. "Shadow, I want you to take our **guests** to the control room. The demonstration is about to begin." Eggman boasted. Phew! Saved by the bell. We followed Shadow who was flicking his eyes at me from time to time. Boy was I ever going to have to explain myself. But who in their right mind would believe I saw a ghost? "Good, the kiddies are here just in time to watch the demonstration." Eggman said and we glared at him. "What have you got planned Fatman?" I asked retorting to his 'kiddies' remark. "Why you little … no, I'm far too happy to be angry now."

"Why?"

He turned on the computer and sent a message directly to the earth. His fat figure right in the centre with him telling his message to the world. I wasn't listening to what he was saying. It was very big headed and boring.

But what he did next even took me by surprise. He turned on a weapon called the 'eclipse cannon' and blew apart half the rock on the space colony. The machinery under the rock looked like Eggman in so many ways. The nose opened up and fired a huge beam of light. I held back a gasp hoping he wouldn't hit any major city or something.

Instead…**IT BLEW UP HALF THE MOON?!**

I didn't want anyone to get hurt on the planet but I liked the moon. I just stared both angry and sad at what he did to such a beautiful thing. "Why? The moon is the best thing in the nights sky." I whispered balling my fists in rage.

I remembered the time my dad stared up at the moon with me when I was very young. Mum and I always stayed up until the moon came out when they always came back. But this time it was him who came back on his own. I thought he'd send me to bed early because he was always strict that way without mum. But he stopped me going up the stairs and scooped me up in his arms taking me over to the window. **_"Hey, don't you want to see the moon?"_** He said surprising the hell out of me. I stayed up late with him and we made a pact not to tell mum when she came home the next day.

Chris put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a worried look. I took a deep breath and smiled to say I was ok.

After Eggman's threat to the earth and blowing up half the moon he waited for their answer. I just looked sadly at the moon hoping he wouldn't try another shot. Shadow and Rouge were waiting for a response like that over inflated beach ball in front of us.

Then Eggman started to hit the console looking very angry. "Our threats fell upon deaf ears." Shadow explained. I smiled. "Good. Maybe that'll teach him not to blow up something so beautiful." I growled and stormed out the room with Chris behind me. "Hey Kat…wait up!" He called to me but I didn't care. As far as I'm concerned Eggman had destroyed one of my most precious memories and I hated him for it. Chris gave up trying to keep up with me after a while. I was so angry I really didn't care.

I looked out the window at the earth and the moon I loved so much. "It's ruined now. Mum, dad, where are you guys? Are you even coming?" I whispered staring out in to the depths of space.

Suddenly a reflection of the black menace appeared beside me. "What's made you so mad this time?" He asked and I just glared at his reflection. "Nothing." I growled. He came closer and stopped right beside me. "Keep acting like this and you'll turn in to that hothead of an Echidna Knuckles." He said and I sighed. "I'm doing it again aren't I?" He nodded and … offered me his hand to take? "I thought you didn't like humans." I said and he smiled. Not smirked, the creep actually smiled. "You remind me of someone I knew long ago." He said. "I hope you know this goes against my better judgement." I said and took his hand with a smile of my own.

We walked back to Chris who was looking at me in a worried sort of way. I apologised and we explored the Ark without Shadow.

After what seemed like hours we headed back to the kitchen and found Shadow and Rouge had already prepared a dinner for us. Yum, it was slices of cold turkey, bread, chips and gravy. I didn't realise how hungry I was until I started eating. I ate enough to feed a small regiment. Chris was hungry too as well as Rouge. But Shadow wasn't eating as much as we were. He looked deep in thought and would flick his eyes at me a few times.

On our way to bed Shadow escorted me to my room before Rouge or Chris or I for that matter knew what was going on.

When I was in bed he sighed and looked at me seriously. "You mentioned someone at lunch today. Would you mind telling me who it was?" I bit my tongue again. What was I going to tell him? A ghost had appeared and was taking over my actions? I stared at the window to see her ghostly face appear again. She put a finger to her lips and I nodded. "You do mind? Please tell me, if it's Maria-"

"Who?" I asked and he just looked at me for a minute in complete terror. He looked like he said something he really didn't want to. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"Never mind." He growled at himself more than me. I just stared at him and he looked right back at me. "So, care to describe her?" He asked and I had to think of something fast. "I can't. That figure of light has no image. She just sounds like a girl when she talks. She was playing with me in the prison cell, made me run through the ark, nearly suffocated me and it's like she's stalking me. That's the best you can get out of me." I said watching his reaction. A strange look of hope came over his face before it quickly disappeared. "Alright, I believe you. But if you find out anything else please tell me."

"Whoa, you actually said please." I laughed at the irritated expression on his face. Hmm…what's he doing now? "YIKES!" I yelled as he launched himself at me. I was pinned against the wall behind me with his hands pressing painfully against my shoulders. "Let me go!"

"You think it's funny do you?" He growled at me murderously. "Why? Why would she pick you over me?" Ok, now he's talking to himself. "It's impossible. She can't come back, there's no way she could…" He stopped and stared at me for a moment. Shadow didn't usually frighten me but now I was terrified. Anger I could deal with but someone insane is a completely different matter. I stared at him white as a sheet with fear across my face. He moved back and released me. I felt the blood rush to my shoulders and back from where he was pushing me in to the wall. "She was my only friend. Why she would come to a human who knows nothing about her…" He stopped again still looking in to my eyes but not actually seeing me there. "Humans killed her so why…"

I think it was at that moment he realised what he was saying and snapped out of it. "Never mention this ever happened or I'll kill you." His threat was loud and clear so I nodded my head like an idiot. He got down from my bed and looked at me. I could feel my eyes were wide and staring at him with cold sweat trickling down my face. My breath was rattling through my mouth and my heart was going haywire. "If you ever see her again…try asking what her name is."

"O-ok." Damn! Why did I stutter like that? As if seeing his mistake he came towards the bed again. I scooted away from him as far as I could hugging the sheets around me in a protective cocoon. I was shaking with fright not knowing what else to do. He sighed. "I'm sorry I scared you." Then he left and I stared at the door hoping he wouldn't come back. After a while I pulled myself together and lay back in the bed. But I was too afraid to close my eyes in case he came rushing in with a knife or something.

Tears came out of my eyes and I whispered for my mum and dad. Then I cried feeling my body shake with every sob and jumping at every noise. Eventually I fell asleep dreading what tomorrow would bring.


	8. Chapter 8

-1When I woke up that morning my fear soon turned to anger and then the inevitable hate I felt for him came back. Rouge came in his stead to escort me to breakfast. I ate it silently thinking about what happened last night. Chris tried in vain to coax a conversation out of me but I was too angry to reply.

"Are you ok?" He asked and I just nodded in anger getting up and leaving the kitchen by myself. I wouldn't care if I never saw Shadow the hedgehog ever again. He's the one that's screwed up my life all of a sudden. Everything was going great until **he** showed up. I kicked a piece of metal junk in a large room with conveyor belts. "DAMN YOU!" I yelled and kicked the metal so hard it left a dent in the wall.

"_**Please…don't hate him."**_ A voice whispered to me. I turned to an old pane of glass to see my reflection had turned in to that girl again. "What the hell do you want Maria?" I growled. The look of surprise on her face made me smirk. "That's right I know your name. So…what is it this time?" I asked with poison dripping on my every word. I was tired of her games and wanted answers. The feeling was spreading over me again meaning I was going to be one sick girl later. "Don't you take control over my body again." I growled. **_"I'm sorry…I just need to borrow you for a moment. Without you I don't know if I can help Shadow see what he is doing is wrong."_**

"Then why not just tell him yourself?" I asked as I was taken down the corridor in a sort of daze. **_"I can't…and I don't know why. I thought he'd be easy to contact with our friendship being so strong en all. But it just wasn't met to be."_** Her ghostly voice quivered like she was on the verge of tears.

I sighed feeling all my anger flitter away. What I had been through was nothing compared to this wandering spirit trying to contact her friend. How selfish was I to think I was the only person suffering right now when Maria couldn't do anything to help in all the time she was in this limbo. "I'm sorry, do as you wish with my body. But if it results in anything like a near death experience then the deal is off. Savi?" She smiled and agreed with all her heart she would never put my life in danger.

"KAT!" Dammit! That blasted hedgehog was going to kill me one of these days bringing me out like that. I chocked and spluttered from not breathing for so long.

I fell to my knees and he rubbed my back again asking if I was ok. I glared at him when I got my breath back. He stepped back and looked like he was bursting to ask a question. "I wasn't able to get her name." I growled and stormed away from him. Rouge saw the whole thing and came up to me looking worried. "What's happened between you two? First you're the best of friends and then you want to keep as far away from him as possible." I didn't answer her and just kept walking. The sick feeling wasn't as bad as all the times before so I was able to walk.

Where too I didn't know, how long I didn't care. All I know is when I went in to the common room where everyone relaxed I spotted something in the docking bay.

It was a rocket! But it was the figures going in to the glass tube below that really interested me. Eggbut was there first with his gold and silver robots by his side. Raven came out the rocket first followed by…MY PARENTS?

I totally lost it and started banging on the window with my fists calling out to them. But knowing they couldn't hear me I ran to the docking bay only for a robot to stop me by the entrance. "We have what you want. Now let us see our daughter." My mother pleaded holding back my father who was growling. I couldn't see what they were doing but I could hear them. I tried to call out but the robot put a hand over my mouth.

Eggman came back smiling with the chaos emerald in his greedy hands. "Um…no. I'll keep the little girl as insurance until this is all over. You have my word no harm will come to her." He said and the gold robot pressed a button to close the door.

I could hear my mother crying as I could see from my father's shadow he was pounding at the door. Tears started to leave my eyes as the rocket eventually left carrying the two most precious things in the entire universe to me.

My tears stopped and soon I was angrier than ever. The robot released me which was a big mistake. I tried to make a run at the man who denied me the one thing I wanted most…to be with them. The gold and silver robots grabbed an arm each and held me in place. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I yelled and he stopped to look at me. "Language like that is not acceptable here young lady." He growled bending forward to get a better look at me. "You have just as much fire as your father does. But you look like your mother." I was ready to kill at that moment. Every cell in my body burned with rage. I wanted to tear his heart out and serve it to him on plate.

When he was gone the robots carried me back to my room and threw me in there. "We won't let you out until you've calmed down." Gold. "Yeah." Silver. They closed the door and locked it. I ran at it and pounded on the door for a few good minutes until I finally calmed down.

Three hours had passed and I heard a knock on the door. I pressed the button for the intercom and spoke in to it. "Yeah?" I asked not in the mood to be polite. "It's Chris. How you holding up?"' He sounded concerned but I was too angry too care. "Shadow lied to me Chris. He said as soon as Eggman got the chaos emerald I could go home. I believed him…I feel like such a fool." My anger was slowly ebbing away and I felt tears in my eyes. "I hate him."

"_**NO!"**_ Maria cried but I didn't care. Her sorrow ate away at my soul but my anger overpowered it. **_"He'll destroy the Earth and everyone on it. He can't do that."_**

The door opened and Chris told me to follow him but a heavy sensation over took my mind, body and soul. I walked in a trance through the ARK with no idea where I was going. 'MARIA! LET MY BODY GO NOW!' My mind yelled at her but she wouldn't listen and kept leading me on. Chris was shouting and screaming but wasn't making any head way in trying to snap me out of it.

My journey ended with a wall. I felt my arm being raised and moving back a secret panel. I pressed a button and the wall started moving…it was a secret door! Chris ran away when he saw this. Most likely to get some help.

The wall opened up to reveal a secret computer room. **_"My grandfather used this room to record his secret experiments. Only he and I knew of it's existence. I left a message for Shadow here when GUN came and invaded the ARK." _**She said sounding sad. 'Why would you defend us humans when it's our fault you're dead?' I asked her and she didn't answer at first.**_ "True I should hate and despise my kind just like Shadow. But the entire world shouldn't have to suffer for the decision of a few bad people. There are good people on the planet and you have proved that."_** I sighed. 'No I haven't Maria, I've been a real prick.' Maria chuckled as she used my hands to access the computer and input a password. **_"You're wrong. I've seen what's inside of you and it's not all bad. You just need a step in the right direction." _**

"I hope you're right." I said out loud and accessed the file I was looking for. "What the?" A screen popped up and I saw Maria come up on the screen hearing gun shots in the background.

"Wh…what is this?" I heard someone gasp by the door. Shadow was standing there but I couldn't turn around. "K-Kat?" He stammered and came forward towards the screen.

"_**Shadow. Please listen to what I have to say. The people on the planet need your help. They deserve a second chance. Not all the humans are evil…some are good and pure. Know that you and grandfather are dear to my heart and I'll never forget either of you. So please…don't take it out on the planet for a few people's mistakes. I love you Shadow…goodbye."**_

The message ended and Shadow just stood there as still as a statue. "Chris told me about you. I came running…hoping you wouldn't try to get yourself killed again." He said sounding completely gob smacked but I really wasn't hearing what he was saying. Maria was leaving me and felt extremely happy. **_"Thank you for your help."_** She said and left me completely. "Bye Maria, you're at peace now." I said and slid down the wall behind me to the floor.

I was back and I was me. I felt the ARK shudder under me but I couldn't move. All that time being possessed by a ghost had drained me. "You lied to me Shadow." I said in a deep state of depression. "You said I would go home when you got what you wanted so why am I still h-here?" My voice started to crack and I felt tears rolling down my face. "Please Kat…don't cry." I heard him ask in the nicest way I've ever heard him speak. "Please…" He asked…no begged me not to but I couldn't stop the tears from coming. I couldn't speak for I feared I would sob. He placed a hand upon my shoulder and I looked in to his eyes. "I have to go help Sonic now. Go to his friends and you can go home when we stop this place from falling to planet earth."

"So that's why it's shaking? You were going to destroy the planet all along…you lied to me from the very beginning so how can I believe what you say now?" I watched Shadow sigh and look sadly in to my eyes. "I'm sorry for lying and giving you empty promises. But now I will make up for all of this and I want you to know I never mean to hurt you. The first night was an accident and I shouldn't have brought you here."

"I'm sorry too. I was a prick and…never should've scored that homerun with you as the ball." He smiled at that and even dared to laugh a little. My tears had stopped and he smiled kindly at me. "Are you able to go to Chris and the others? They're waiting in the common room." He asked me and I felt my strength return. "Yes. Good luck…my friend." I said and he put his arms around me. I did the same getting over the shock of it before getting up and running to my friends.

I arrived at the common room to see Chris in Mr. Tenaka's arms. No doubt he had a disagreement with Shadow. Knuckles was there guarding a giant emerald against Rouge. Tails was trying to comfort Amy who was panicking about Sonic. He on the other hand fought out in space against the giant lizard attached to the ARK. It was dragging the ARK directly towards the Earth so Sonic had to go in to super mode.

Wait a minute…who's that beside him? I gasped when I saw Shadow in super mode too. Together they were able to defeat the lizard and the ARK was put back in to orbit.

Sonic returned later with nothing but a gold ring. Chris asked where Shadow was but I already knew the answer. I left with the others hearing Sonic say farewell to his ultimate rival. "Sayonara (spelling?) Shadow the hedgehog." Then we went down to the rocket and waved goodbye to the ARK. I doubt I would ever forget my short time aboard that place. But I didn't want it to end this way. I half hoped Shadow would become one of the good guys and I'd see him a few times. But there was always that feeling I'd never see him again…like I knew this would happen. He died to keep his promise and was with Maria now, so that's a good ending. But what of mine?


	9. Chapter 9

-1After I said hello and goodbye to everyone at the mansion I headed home. Mr. Tenaka dropped me off at my house and I ran to the door.

I tried to open it only to realise it was locked. The locked door felt like a kick in the gut as I stared at it. Surely they were back now and hadn't gone on a another mission. I unlocked the door and went in looking around the hall for any sign they were home but I couldn't find anything. I fought back the tears and just stood there feeling numb.

Footsteps came up the stairs behind me and stopped at the door. "Sweetie?" I heard a shaky voice from behind me say. I slowly turned round to see my mum and dad standing by the door.

We just looked at one another for a while not knowing what to say. Stupid! Enough! "Hi mum." I said and she ran forward throwing her arms around me in a bone crushing hug. But surprisingly she wasn't crying her eyes out. I put my arms around her and felt like the luckiest kid in the world. Dad came over and put his arms around us in a less dramatic way. But I could swear I saw him blink back a couple of tears. "Hi dad."

Mum released me and dad looked at me in surprise. "I didn't think you'd be taken down that easily." He said. "Well excuse me for getting captured. You try escaping from the ultimate life form." I growled and he raised an eyebrow. Very bad timing to take a crack at me for being kidnapped. Just thinking about Shadow made me feel sad but happy at the same time. He was gone but with Maria now, I was happy for both of them. "I missed you guys." I said when I came back to reality. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Don't be silly! It wasn't your fault Kat." my mother scolded me surprising both me and my father. "We have you back now, that's all that matters. We have come back for the weekend like we said we would and can be together until Monday. You can tell us all about what happened later. But right now…" She took my hand and led me to the door. "…we go out for dinner tonight." I smiled as we went to the pizza place. I felt like having something like that with what I had just been through and my parents had the same need.

After that we put a movie on and watched it till late on a Saturday night like a regular family. Well usually my parents would go out on Saturdays to a pub or something but tonight was under different circumstances.

I could see they had lack of sleep from worrying by the way they fell asleep half way through the movie. I was laying on top of my dad with my head on his chest. My mother was sleeping on the other side of the couch against his legs. So here we were the three of us watching a movie at first before we all fell asleep. I was so tired I couldn't be bothered to go to my room and just fell asleep.

So for the next two days we were an average family. We played Poker and my dad won of course with his unchanging face. My mum made cookies with me and I told them what happened. I left out the part of the ghost but I told them everything else.

When Monday came around it was too soon and I felt my heart break when they left. They dropped me off at school that morning for once and I liked it. My mum and dad hugged me tight and told me to take care of myself the same way they had done for the past three years. "Take care sweetie." Mum would say. "Don't burn the house down." Dad. It never got old and I waved them goodbye down the street until I could no longer see them.

Chris and I met up in class. It felt weird, we were back to everyday life when only a few days ago we were aboard the space colony heading for certain death. But now it's like nothing had happened.

"Hey Kat…" Chris tried to begin a conversation but failed. "…how are you?" I nodded to say I was fine. Then silence swept over us. It was only at break we started talking again.

We didn't mention what happened and just became friends again. I would go visit Sonic and the others every now and again. I understood what Shadow meant about me having a fiery temper like Knuckles. Man we really argued with one another. There was one point where we had to be held back in case we killed each other. But after that he and I got on alright. I'll never forget what happened and will die with the memory as though it happened yesterday.

_**Well there you go. That's my story of how I was kidnapped and witnessed the near destruction of the Earth. Goodbye Shadow, it was a pleasure to know you in the end…and Maria I suppose. May you both be at peace and never be parted again. **_

_**This is my story, I hoped you liked it.Bye. **_


End file.
